Multiple loop regulating mechanism



G. BITZER MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Aug. 2, 1938.

Filed Dec. 29, 1937 e Sheets-Sheet 1 7 FLE-LQ INVENTOR.

MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Filed mama 9,1957 a Sheets-ShetQ INVEjM/TOR: 403N010 Ba t er,

ATTORNEY:

8 Sheets-Sheet 3 8- 2, 1938. a BITZER MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1937 U mM w P I li lmnn Aug. 2, 1 938; Err 25 2,125, 83]

MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANI 'SM Filed'Dec. 29, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTok:

G'attlob ,Biyez;

' ATTORNEY.

Aug. 2, 1938. I ca. BlTZER 2,125,831

MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 FJLE- -LE]- INVEN 1 URI Gait/$017135 e1;

ATTORNE Aug. 2,1938.

G. BITZER 2,125,831

MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM il 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR:

amok 3x 81,

By (E Armin/ I Aug. 2, 1938. G BlTZER 2,125,831

MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 EL E--15- INVENTOR.

- g mmgigezy Q r V V .ATTORN x I Aug. 2, 1938. G. BITZER v 1 MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29. 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fla--17..

IN VEN TOR.

40mm 1w er,

Patented Aug. 2, 1938 I MULTIPLE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM Gottlob Bitzer, Lincoln Park, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 29, 1937, Serial No. 182,178

20 Claims.

My invention relates to a mechanism for altering the length of knitted loops formed by a fiat or full fashioned knitting machine.

It is common practise to increase the length of the loops of the body yarn in the portions of courses inwhich a reinforcing yarn is to be used, but special mechanism is employed for this purpose and difficulty has been encountered when it hasbeen attempted to provide a doublereim forcement in some area for the reason that an additional change in loop length per course was thereby required and the mechanisms commonly employed were, not adapted to do this.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple and novel means whereby the action of known forms of loop regulating means of a flat knitting machine may be modified to increase the lengthof the loops formed when desired, W

A further object of my invention is to provide a means whereby separate cam means may act cumulatively on the means for regulating the length of the loops of a course to provide a cumulative lengthening of the loops of a given course.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple and novel arrangement whereby one oi two separate cam means may act on the loop regulating means in one portion of a given course and both may act on the re u a means in another portion of said course.

It is known to increase the length of the knitted loops in certain portions only of a course by a means responsive to the position of the inner stops for the plating yarn, carrier bars or rods forlengthening the loops over the singly plated areas.

It isstill another object to provide a simple means which can be added conveniently to a stop responsive loop lengthening'mechanism to further increase the length of the loops over portions of the areas in which said mechanism is operative.

A further object is to .provide' a simple and efficient mechanism which can be economically With these and other objects in view, which ,1

will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts 55 in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in-the claims.

In the drawings, in which I have illustrated a fabric, aflat stocking blank and a stocking as well as a mechanism all manufactured and which is capable of ready adin accordance with Figure 1 is an elevational within my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view ona slightly reduced scale of a blank for making the stocking within my invention shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view on anenlarged scale of a porview of a stocking tion of the blank shown in Fig. 2 enclosed by dotand-dash lines thereon;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a full fashioned knitting machine in accordancewith my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig.4 and looking in the direction of the arrows; i a

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view. taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 9; i

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of certain parts shown in Fig. 5 and showing the particular cam arrangement usedin niaking the foot portions of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 8 is a plan view looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8 in Fig. 5, parts being omitted; Fig. 9 is an elevation on a somewhat enlarged scale of the parts shown in Fig. 5, taken from the right of the figure. Darts being broken away for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line |0-"-l0 of Fig. 9, lookng in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 1.1 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line |l'-|l of Fig-.4, looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being omitted;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l2--l2 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

, Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 12, parts being broken away for purposes of illustration;

ig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially onthe line M-M of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. '7 except that the cams of one 'set are spaced ,diiierently from those in the arrangement'ot Fig. 7;

Fig. 16 is an elevational view of a knitted leg blank within my invention made when using the cam arrangement of Fig. 15; and

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a portion of the I machine lying at the right .of Fig. 4,"parts being omitted, but illustrating well-known means for connecting the regulating shaft with the needle bar.

The figures disclose various parts of apublished by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, and in a booklet entitled "Knitting MachineLectures". published in 1935 by the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing; Pennsylvania, and further in two pamphlets entitled The Reading Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine", one copyrighted in 1935 by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pa., and containing articles 1 to 14 inclusive of a series reprinted from The Yarn Carrier and the other copyrighted in 1936 by said Machine Works, and containing articles 15 to 35 inclusive reprinted from The Yarn Carrier.

A fabric I made on a machine in accordance with my invention is shown in Fig. 3 in the process of being made. Such fabric is commonly used in full fashioned stockings and the portion of fabric shown in Fig. 3 appears also within the dot-and-dash rectangle on Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, fabric I has a selvage edge 3 and a zone 4 alongside the selvage 3 containing a reinforcing thread or yarn 5 in addition to a body yarn 6. The loops in zone 4 are accordingly made slightly longer than those of the portion or area of fabric I containing only body yarn 6 so that the threads will run parallel and a smooth plated" effect will be produced. Fabric I has also a zone 8 containing a second reinforcing or third thread! and the loops in zone 8 are longer in turn than those in zone 4 to provide for the desired smooth arrangementof the threads or yarns. In Figs. 1 and 2, the .unshaded areas of stocking I and blank II are the same as area I in that they are composed of unreinforced body yarn while the lightly shaded areas of Figs. 1 and 2 are similar to or extensions of the zone 4 having two yarns per loop or a single reinforcing yarn and the more heavily shaded areas are similar to the zone 0 and have three yarns per loop or two reinforcing yarns, the lengths of the loops increasing with thenumber of yarns per 7 loop. Also, the singly reinforced structure of zone 4 extends around the entire edge of a foot portion I2 of stocking I0 and blank I I in a generally U-shaped zone F and in reinforced heel areas T, enclosing in partan unreinforced instep portion Ila while the doubly reinforced structure of area 0 occurs also throughout four triangular areas G-G and H--H on the inner edges of zone F, each of which has a right angle enclosed by zone F alone or by zone F and tabs T and areas G-G being larger and nearer the toe than I areas HH. A specifically different use of the fabric is shown in Fig. 16, in which reinforced heel, zones or areas T comprising upper heel and heel tab portions, of blank III are like areas T of Fig. 2 in being reinforced all over, but have doubly reinforced areas R-R of rectangular outline'along their outer edges S. The shading in ,Fig. 16 is similar to that in Figs. 1 and 2, the lighter shading indicating two-thread areas and the heavier shadingthree-thread areas.

I anticipate that my invention will have its maximum application in stocking fabrics and it has come into considerable use in connection with the sole portion and the heels and heel tabs of stockings. In making a stocking I0 from a blank II the edges of the blank are seamed together in the usual way. Blank III, of course, must have a foot-portion added thereto before it can be seamed up to make a stocking.

In carrying out my improved method of making fabric, I knit the fabric on a flat knitting machine which maybe in general of an ordinary typ but necessarily having means for laying a sufficiently increased length of body yarn per needle or per loop in the remainder of the course to result in smoothly knitted fabric even in portions of the fabric having two reinforcing threads therein in addition to the body yarn.

In accordance with my apparatus invention, a flat knitting machine, preferably of the fullfashioned type, is provided with a novel means for making some of the knitted loops on one or both sides ofthe center of a course longer when desired. The energy for turning the regulating shaft of the machine is derived as usual directly from the main cam shaft but the operation is controlled by the position of a nut on the reinforced selvage attachment to determine the positions of the edges of the areas containing longer loops of body yarn and additional cam means are fixed to the cam shaft and arranged to act within the area in which the cam means of said attachment is active, the attachment being modified to cause the impulse of the additional cam means to supplement that of the cams ordinarily used in the reinforced selvage attachment and to permit the ordinary cams to function by themselves where desired.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4 to 14 inclusive and Fig. 1'7, the full fashioned knitting machine shown therein comprises a frame I00 including a front beam IN and a back beam I02 and on which is journalled a main cam shaft I (Fig. 4) having the ordinary regulating cam thereon (not shown) for rocking regulating shaft I06 whereby, by cooperation with an adjustable tappet means and connections therefrom, the regulating cam determines the length of the knitted loops during the knitting of the single yarn portions of a fabric by positioning a needle I bar I01 (Fig. l2) the proper distance from the ber 6, 1931, such connections will be described only briefly. They comprise a lever I06 which is fixed to the needle bar I01 and extends downwardly therefrom to a pivot connection with a forwardly extending horizontally arranged link I09 the forward portion of which is pivotally supported at the lower end of an arm IIO parallel to lever I08 and fixed to and depending from a rock shaft III. The ordinary presser motion is imparted to the needle bar I01 during the knitting portion of a given revolution of the main cam shaft I05 by a cam II2 which acts on a roller II3 operatively connected to arm IIO. During the yarn laying portion of a given revolution of shaft I05, however, the position of arm H0 and therefore the horizontal position of the needles in bar I0! is determined by a pin Ill fixed at the upper end of an arm II5 fixed in turn to regulating shaft I06. The pin H4 is arranged to bear against a shoulder on a downward extension of arm IIO so that a clockwise motion of shaft I06 draws arm IIO, link I05 and arm I08 forward to thereby throw the needles rearward toward the sinker bed and presser edge to increasethe effect of the sinkers in laying yarn. A spring II6 moves arm IIO contrary to the movements produced by cam. I I2 and shaft H5. Vertical movement of the needles are produced by rock shaft III in the usual way. Shaft I06 is also controlled by a loose course cam (not shown) on the cam shaft I forming part of a loose course motion or mechanism which can be thrown into and out of operation as desired to produce one or more loose courses at desired reinforced areas isfrequently supplied in Reade ing full-fashioned knitting machines. The principle of saidthirdmechanism and an apparatus .in accordance therewith are disclosed in U. S.

Patent 1,793,669, issued February 4, 1931 and I have shown an embodiment of my novel arrangement in the drawings as a modificaton of a .deviceof the type shown in said patent. Said third mechanism discloses a pair of nuts I3, |3a

forming parts of the means for limiting the traverse of the yarn carrier bars for the yarn used in plating or splicing and includinglstops |4 for the yarn carrier bars, mounted on nuts I3 and l3a and arranged to be thrown either into or out of uselj Other stopssuch as end stops,

which are carried by usual narrowing heads I I4,

Fig. 4, cooperate with the stops I4 for limiting the traverse of the yarn carrier bars or rods.. Nuts l3 and l3o are carried on a reversely threaded spindle l5 whereby they may be set and shiftedas desired by turning spindle l5 either by a handoperated sprocket and chain device i6 or by an automatic means including a ratchet wheel I1 and a companion wheel Ila thereof to determine the width of the areas of :the stocking to be reinforced. The automatic operation of wheel l1 and its companion l'la is controlled by the usual pattern chain I8 which is adapted to withdraw, by means of buttons placed onthe chainat optional points, the supporting arm I3 from beneath a lever 20. The means shown for this purpose is similar to that shown in said Patent No. 1,793,669 and comprisesthe lever 20 carrying. a roller 2| arranged,

when the lever. 20 is allowed to drop, to rest on cam 22 on shaft 105 and to be oscillated by spring and cam 22 whenever the low spot on cam 22 passes beneath roller 2| to thereby reciprocate avertical rod 23. Rod23 connects at its lower end to lever and at its upper end to on spindle Has an axis. pivotally to a lever 25 which-is pivoted in turn to an arm 24, Fig. 13, that is swivelled to oscillate The arm 24 connects a rocker 26. A "stud 21 is pivoted on rocker 26 and carries a collar to which is connected a rod 28 the'lower end of which is enlarged to embrace a pivot on a second arm 24a. Arms 24 and 24a carry pawls 23 and 29a,'respectively, shown as pivoted on. the arms and arranged to cooperate with the teeth of wheels l1 and lid to turn the spindle IS in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction asdesiredseeFigs. 12 and 13. The direction of motion of the spindle l5, as determined by pawls 29 and 29a, is controlled by the chain |8.. The means whereby chain It selects.

either pawl 29 or 29a. to operate spindle l5 comprises a generallyhorizontal lever 30 pivoted on a vertical axis (Fig. 12), the forward end of lever 30 being arranged adjacent the upper end of arm l9 and a spring 30a being connected to lever 30 to hold its front end toward the left 'as A low button on chain l3 pawl 29 and spindle 15 rotates clockwise as viewed in Fig. 13. A high button on chain It throws the upper end of lever I9 sufficiently far to the rightias viewed in Fig. 4) not only release lever 20, but to throw the forward end of lever 30 to the right. As is also clear from i Fig. 13, the rear end of lever 30 is thereby thrown to theleft (as viewed from a position in front of machine) and the lower end of vertical lever plates 32 and 32a carry pins 32b and 32c which contact one at a time, with cam flanges 29b and 29c onthe pawls 29 and 29a,respectively, so that.

the movement of lever 3|can throw the plates 32, 32a and their pins to put one pawl into action and to throw the other one out. When the upper end of lever 3l'lies, as shown, at the left as viewed in Fig. 4, the pin 320 on plate 32a is in position to ride along the cam flange 29c on pawl 29a when arm 24 is oscillatedto throw pawl 29a against the action of a spring (not shown) and away fromthe teeth of wheel lid on the up stroke of rod 23 and thereby to prevent it from catching and operating the wheel on the down stroke. Pin 3212, however, is away from the companion pawl 29 and the spring (not shown) of the pawl throws it against the teeth of wheel I! to catch a tooth atthe bottom or the down stroke of rod 23 to rack spindle l5a one tooth distance on the upstroke of rod 23. When the forward end of lever |8 is thrown to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, by a high button on the chain la, the upper end of lever 3| is also thrown to the right and the pin 320 on plate 32a withdrawn from the path of pawl 29a. so that it racks spindle I6 counterclockwise; Simultaneously, the pin 32b is thrown into the path of the companion pawl 23 to disable its action. Pawl 29:: therefore moves rack wheel I la one tooth distance for each reciprocation of lever 20.

In the arrangement shown, nut l3 controls that portion of the strokein which said third mechanism acts on regulating shaft M6. For this purpose the nut I3 is connected to a rod 33 pivoted to the upper end of a vertical lever 34 the lower end of which has a 'studs 31aand 33a having ball ends (Fig. 14)

affording pivotal connections one with each of a pair of rods 31 and 33 (Figs. 5 and 6). At the ends remote from crank or lever 36,. rods 31 and 38 are .arranged to receive the ends oi studs 39 and 40 (Fig. 6) respectively, which aresimilar to studs 31a and liia and are fixed one on each of a pair of segmental control members or cams which appear at 4| and 42 in Fig. 8. Control members 4| and 42are swivelled on cam shaft I05 so that their position relative to each other is fixed by the position of nut l3 and are adjacent a camdisk draw pieces 44 and45 toward the center of shaft I05. Cam pieces 44 and 45, however, carry studs on which are placed rollers 43 and 41 arranged respectively in the planes of control members 4| pivotal connection to one end of rod (Figs. 4 and 11) The other end of rod .43 fixed on shaft I05 and carrying cam pieces 44 and "Which are mounted for movement radially of disk 43. Springs I01, In! (Fig. 10) tend to and 42 and arranged also to contact such members during the rotation of disk 43 to throw cam pieces 44 and 45 outwardly. The relative position of members 4| and 42 therefore determines the portions of the revolution of main cam shaft I05 in which cam pieces 44 and 45 are operative and the position of members 4| and 42 is determined by that of nut I3 which is determined in turn by the chain I8. The cam pieces 44 and 45, however, are arranged to act on regulating shaft I06 through a roller 48 journalled on a lever 48 pivoted at a point 48a intermediate its length to the end of an arm 50 fixed on shaft I06. Roller 48 is slidably mounted on a bolt 5| so that it can be thrownby a hand lever 52 as desired into or out of position to contact the cam pieces 44 and 45 during their revolution.

While the expansible cam blocks or members 44 and 45, the roller 48 and arm 50, or their equivalents, are all present in said prior patent, according to the present invention, I have interposed the above mentioned pivoted lever 48 between the roller 48 and arm 50. Pivoted lever 48, if its degree of swing were not limited, would prevent the transmission of an impulse from cam members 44 and 45 to arm 50 and shaft I06. I therefore have provided means to limit the swing of' lever 48 on arm 50 when cam members 44 and 45 are being used in the ordinary way. Such means comprises a shoulder 53 arranged to act as a stop to limit the swing of lever' 48 by contacting the end of a bolt 54 which is adjustably mounted on a shoulder 55 projecting from lever 48 in the same plane as stop 53. By adjusting bolt 54 to contact stop 53 sooner, the free swing of lever 48 for a given setting of cam members 44 and 45 is reduced and the resulting angular motion of arm 50 and shaft I06 increased. Obviously this result can be obtained also by inserting a gage or shim between stop 53 and bolt 54 or by placing a stop at any other point in the path of lever 48 on either side of the pivot thereof. A spring 56 connected atone end to lever 48 and at its other end,

to arm 50 normally biases the bolt 54 against stop 53. It will be seen that when lever 52 is thrown to the right as viewed in Fig. 9, roller 48 is in position to lengthen the loops in strips along both selvages to accommodate the extra thread for reinforcing the heel tabs.

Further as shown, the lever 48 has a second roller 51 at the end opposite roller 48 and a pin shaft 58 is fixed in a fork 58 to lie parallel to shaft I06 so as to carry roller 51. Also, in the arrangement shown, a pair of segmental cams Y60 and 6| are so fixed on shaft I05 that when either of cams 60 and 6| are in position to contact roller 51 then cam member 44 or 45 is in position to contact roller 48 provided roller 48 has been thrown to the right by lever 52 as shown. In Figs. 5, 8 and 9, the roller 51 is shown incontact with cam 6| at the same time that roller 48 contacts cam piece 45. -In the relative position shown in Figs. 5, 8 and 9, roller 51 acts as a temporary stop curtailing the free swing of lever 48 about its axis even more than it is limited by stop 53 and the arm 50 consequently is given a greater swing for a given setting of cam pieces 44 and 45 than when roller 51 is disengaged as is clear from Figs. 5 and 1. In Fig. 5, rollers 48 and 51 are on cams 45 and 6| respectively and arm 50 has been moved somewhat to the right as compared to its position when bolt 54 is resting on stop 53. The length of yarn pulled from the bobbin is thereby increased so long as roller 51 is in position to act as a stop for lever 48. The mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 1 has the additional cams 60 and 6| set so they act to increase the action of cams 44 and 45 throughout two zones each extending inwardly from the respective inner edges of the zone F nearly to the center line of the fabric. However, the action'of cams 60 and 6| is dependent on that of cams 44 and 45 because, when roller 48 runs off its cam, there is nothing to prevent lever 48 from swivelling on its pivot 48a in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. 5 and 7) and thereby preventing the transmission of any impulse from cams 60 or 6| through roller 51 to arm 50. The inner edges of the areas G and H, Figs. l and 2, are determined by the position of nut I3 which determines by rods 31 and 38 the points at which rollers 46, and 41 of cams 44 and 45 run respectively off of and onto the shiftable cam pieces 4| and 42, thereby permitting cams 44 and 45 to draw in toward shaft I05 and to prevent such cams from having any effect in turning shaft I06 farther than would be done by the regular regulating cam used for the single yarn areas The cams 60a and 6|a, Fig. 15, are set differently on shaft I05 from cams and 6| so that the loops are lengthened enough for three threads per loop throughout two zones R.-R of the reinforced heel areas T (Fig. 16). The zones R-R are of an equal coursewise width less than the width of the areas T which are of varying coursewise widths and, with the exception of the zones R-R, are of a two thread per loop construction. The upper heel portions of areas T are separated by a central zone having only the body yarn or one yarn per loop. Other than in the setting of cams 60a and H0, the mechanism of Fig. 15 is the same as that of Figs. 4 to 14, inclusive.

The knitted foot structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is often known as the cradle foot or inside reinforced sole. When it is desired to make the structure of Figs. 1 and 2, roller 48 is thrown into the plane of cams 44 and 45 by hand. Cams 44 and 45 thereupon act to swing arm 50 to the right as viewed in Fig. 5 to the degree required to form loops having the length needed for a single reinforcing thread for the portions of the yarn laying stroke represented by the widths of portions or areas F, F, the inner edges of which are parallel to the center line of the blank. Cam 60 is so placed as to strike roller 51 at the moment the yarn carrying finger for the body yarn reaches the inner boundary of the first portion F of the stroke to begin the first area H or G of said yarn laying stroke and cam 6| is set so as to run out from under roller 51 at' the time said finger is at the inner boundary of the second area F to terminate the second area H or G reached in the same yarn laying stroke. The inclined or inner edges of areas H and G are determined and the widths of these areas determined as desired by the pattern chain by controlling, in the arrangement shown, the shifting of the nut I3 to move the cams 4| and 42 relatively to each other. Obviously, the connections for moving cams 4| and 42 can be attached to mechanism other than nut I3 without changing the principle of operation." As soon as the roller 46 of cam 44 runs ofl the non-rotating cam 4|, roller 48 can swing to the left as viewed in Fig. 7 far enough to prevent lever 48 from having any effect on shaft I06 irrespective of cam 60 and the roller 51 and the length of the loops thereupon is determined by the ordinary G in the course.

' 16, are usually referred to memes:

The outer edge oi. the second 'area H or G is determined by the roller-I1 running oif cam II and allowing rollerjland cam 48 to regulate the length of the loops in the second portion F lying between the second portion H or G and'the selvage edge. In case cams 4i and 42 are drawn far enough toward the right as viewed in Fig. 6, no area G or H is formed. This occurs when nut l3 has been moved far enough to the right as seen in Fig. 4. At the end of the areas G, the mechanism shown is thrown out of action bymoving roller 48 out of and 45 by hand lever 52 i the plane of cams 44 and the length of the loops in the remainder of the footof the blank is controlled by the ordinary loop regulating means.

'I'he'areas RR of the blank, shown in Fig. as heel-in-heel areas of a stocking. In the operation of the mechanism ofFlg. 15 to make the blank @of Fig. 16, the circumferentially shiftable ,butnon-rotating ..cams4l and z42 beingin proper position and.

roller 48 having been shifted by hand into the plane of radiallyshiftable and rotatable cams 44 and 45,,both' pairs of rotating camsiact in .,the same course to give arm .50 the maximum swing both at the beginning and the endof each what less .course to produce the longest loops, as required 1 for areas R. Assoon as roller 51 has run oif cam 60a, the arm 50 is permitted to swing backsomelength suitable for areas T The dividing lines between areas R and R are parallel to the center lineof the blank due to the fact that cams 50a and Sia are fixed to the shaft.

The inner jedgesof' areas'I' however, may be inclined as shown because the action of cams 44 and can be terminated and begunat varying points in the period of couliering by varying the positions of nomrotating cams 4i and 42 to" changethe polnts'atwhich cams 44 and 45 '.d.raw radially inward toward the cam shaft enoughto cease or to avoid actingon arm and'to change the pointa't which the cams 44 j and 45'are pushed radially outward enough'to begin acting on'arrn 50. Of course, the fabric "ofthe upper portions of areas R (Fig l6) can knitted while using five yarn carriers and yarn carrierbars; but when the lower end ofthe "central single-yarn area of blank III has been reachedand the areas R and T are condrilled in spaced tabs,-six yarn carriers-and yarn carrierba'rs areneeded to provide the six yarns used per. course in the lower portions of areas R.

Howeven'the mechanism of Fig; "15'should be thrown'out 'of action by'shifting roller 48 by hand lever 52 as soon as the knitting has reached the' lower end of areas R. The ordinary loop regulating mechanism is then thrown in to complete the knitting of the heel tabs after areas R have been finished. ,It will be seen 'that the arrangements of Figs. 5 and l5'cannot bothbe used on the same machine at the same time; but

areas R may be produced in the same stocking as areas H and G because the leg and foot portions of fiatstocking blanks are usually made on separate machines. The relative position of cam members 4| and 42 shown in Fig. 6 is substantially that in which they are placed during the knitting of the portion corresponding to zone 4, Fig. 2.

It will be not-ed by way of recapitulation that the loops cannot be lengthened by my mechanism to the'degree desired for two plating yarns 44 or 45. and roller claimed. i

What I claim is: t

1. In aflat knitting machine having a needle bar, carrier rods for body and plating yarns, and stops. for said 'rods, in combination, means for moving the stops for the plating carrier rods, means controlled by said stop moving means for increasing the length of the loops when the plating carrier rods are in use, and supplemental means for cooperating with saidmeans to furthen increase the length of two groups of loops of a course.

2. In a flat knitting machine having a needle invention herein disclosed and hereinafterbar, carrier rods for body and plating yarns, and

stops for said rods, in combination, means for moving the stops for the platingcarrier rods,

means controlled by said stop moving means for a cam shaft, means for. moving the needle bar toward and from the presser edge to determine the length of the knitted loops, cam means on said shaft and a lever connected to said first-i -means on which said cam means acts for acting on said means to increase the length of the loops in a portion only of a course, and additional cam means on said shaft arranged to act on said lever to additionally increase the length of the loops in a part only of the portion of a. course in which said first means is efiective.

4. In a fiat knitting machine having a cam shaft, plating yarn carrier bars and stops therefor, in combination, a, regulating shaft for determinlng the length of the knitted loops,means responsive to the position of the stops for the plating bars for acting on said shaft to increase the length of the loops in desired areas of the fabric being knitted, and means responsive to the angular position of said ca'rnshaft for acting on said means to increase the length of the loops in portions only of. said areas.

5. In a flat knitting machine having a cam shaft, in combination, a regulating shaft for determining the length of the knitted loops, means for acting ,on said shaft to increase the length of the loops in desired areas of the fabric being knitted, and means responsive to a cam on said shaft for acting on said means to increase the length of the loops in certain areas relative to those in said first areas. t

6. In a flat knitting machine having a cam shaft, in'combination, means for. regulating the position ofthe needle bar during the period of laying the yarn to determine the length .of the knitted loops, means arranged to receive an actuating impulse from the cam shaft for acting on said means to increase the length of said loops, and two cam'means on said shaft arranged to act cumulatively on said second means to increase the length of theloops,saidsecond means arrangedto be thrown out of receptive position as to both said cam means as desired.

7." In a flat knitting machine, in combination,

a loop regulating shaft, means to change the angular position of said shaft including an arm cam.

8, In a fiat knitting machine having plating yarn carrier rods and adjustable stops therefor, in combination, means for regulating the length of the knitted loops including a regulating shaft and connections whereby the length of the loops is controlled by the angular position of said shaft, cam means responsiye to the position of the stops for the plating yarn carrier rods for operating said shaft to increase the length of the loops when said plating rods are in operation, and cam means dependentupon the action of said cam means and arranged to increase the length of the loops, during a portion only of a course, beyond that caused by said cam means.

9. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination,

- a loop regulating shaft, means to change the angular position of said shaft and including an arm fixed to the shaft, a lever pivoted on said arm and arrangedfor limited free movement on its pivot, and two cam means arranged to not one on each end of. said lever to' cumulatively oscillate said shaft.

10. In a fiat knitting; machine, having yarn carrier rods and stops therefor, in combination, means for regulating the length of the knitted loops including a regulating shaft and connections whereby the length of the loops is controlled by the angular position of said shaft, a cam means for operating said shaft to form loops of a length suitable for singly reinforced fabric but for a portion only of a course, and a second cam means H arranged to act only during a portion of the period in a course in which said cam means is active for operating said shaft to form loops suitable for doubly reinforced fabric.

11.. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, a regulating shaft, means to change the angular position of saidshaft including an arm fixed thereto, a leverpivoted to said arm, a stop for limiting the swing of said lever in one direction, a-cam means operable during onlya portion of a yarn laying period arranged to act on said lever near one end to force it against said stop to increase the length of the loops in a portion of a course, and a cam means arranged to act on said lever near the other end thereof during a portion only of the period said first means is active to further increase the length of the loops.

12. In a flat knitting. machine having a cam shaft, and plating-yam carrier bars and stops therefor, in combination, a regulating shaft for determining the length of the knitted loops, an arm on said shaft, a lever pivoted on said arm, an abutment on said arm for limiting the free swing, of said lever in one direction, means responsive to the position of said stops for acting on said lever to throw it against said abutment to turn said shaft in the direction to increase the length of the loops in desired areas of the fabric being knitted, and a cam fixed to said cam shaft for acting on said lever only within the period said stop responsive means is in action to swing the lever away from said abutment and to further increase the length of the loops in portions of said areas.

13. In a flat knitting machine having a cam shaft, in combination, a loop regulating shaft, a cam member on said cam shaft movable radially thereof but in fixed angular relation thereto, a member connected to said regulating shaft for receiving an impulse from said cam member to turn it in the direction to increase the length of the knitted loops, plating yarn carrier bars, movable stops for said bars, means responsive to the position of said stops for moving said cam member radially of the cam shaft, and a second cam on said cam shaft arranged to act on said member within the period said radially movable cam member is capable, if in its outer position, of acting on said member.

14. In a knitting machine as set forth in claim 13, a means responsive to the position of the stops for the plating carrier bars including a sector shaped member swivelled on the cam shaft and arranged to throw the radially movable cam member outwardly whenever it passes the sector shaped member.

15. In a full fashioned knitting machine, in combination, a loop regulating shaft, an arm on said shaft, a lever pivoted on said am at a point intermediate the ends of the lever, a cam shaft, and cams on said cam shaft arranged to act cumulatively substantially directly on said lever at points on opposite sides of its pivot for turning said regulating shaft.

16. The combination as set forth in claim 15 and in which the arm on the loop regulating shaft has a stop thereon to limit the swing of the lever in one direction.

17. The combination as set forth in claim 15 and in which the lever and the arm each has thereon a part of an adjustable stop means for limiting the swing of the lever in one direction.

18. In a full'fashioned knitting machine, in combination, a loop regulating shaft, a cam shaft, two cam means on said cam shaft arranged to act cumulatively on said regulating shaft, and means for varying the period of action of one of said cam means.

19. In a full fashioned knitting machine, in combination, a loop regulating shaft, a cam shaft, two. cam means on said cam shaft arranged to act cumulatively on said regulating shaft in the direction to increase the length of the knitted loops, and means for automatically varying the angular distance within which said cams have a cumulative action.

20. In a full fashioned knitting machine, in combination, a loop regulating shaft, a cam shaft, two cam means on said cam shaft arranged to act cumulatively on said regulating shaft in the direction to increase the length of the knitted loops, a plating yarn carrier bar and a movable stop therefor, means responsive to the position of said stop for varying automatically the angle through which one of said cam means is effective,

and means whereby the other of said cam means become ineffective whenever said one means ceases to act.

GO'II'LOB BITZER. 

